Because “nobody remembers losers,” and because winning a gold on his home ice in Sochi next February is something that might help that problem, two-time NHL MVP Alex Ovechkin is going to join his national team in Finland and Sweden for the IIHF World Championships.

Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals were ousted from the NHL playoffs in a game seven against the New York Rangers Monday night, and Ovechkin has blamed the Caps’s loss on everyone up the chain, including hinting at a league conspiracy.

But the defeat gave him plenty of time to book a trip to Helsinki for Russia’s quarterfinal match-up against an American team fielding 21 NHL pros Thursday. And since he’s scored 26 goals in 55 appearances for his national squad, the U.S. team should probably get ready.